Educational appliance



June 24, 1930. T. w. KLINK. 1,766,521

EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE Filed Opt. s, 1927 Lv INVENTOR v WITNESS: ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1930 STATES Arena easier;

EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE Application filed October 3, 1927.

The object of this invention is to provide a convenient guide for use in directing an individual in reading the Bible or any similar book in which reference may be made to particular portions, verses, or paragraphs, by the use of chapter numbers and verse numbers.

A further object is to provide a guide of this character, which shall include a board or the like divided into sections or squares, and having recessed portions or openings therein, for stopping and retaining an article such as a ball which will roll over the surface of the board when first dropped thereon in any position selected at random, and will then come to rest in a square or sub-division in which direction for finding particular passages of the Scripture, or for finding other previously selected portions of a book, have been inscribed.

A further object is to provide for use as above indicated a series of balls to be placed upon the board at one time and without directing effort, one of the balls having a special color or marking showing that the Scripture reference indicated thereby is to be considered first.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel con struction and arrangement of elements described, illustrated and claimed, it being understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the board.

Figure 2 constitutes a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, the position of the hand of the user being illustrated.

Figure 3 is a detail of the spacing means of Figure 2.

The board includes a main bottom 10, sides 11, and diaphragm or false bottom 12, the surface of which is divided into squares, by the use of horizontal lines 13 and vertical lines 14 intersecting as shown. The element 12 is provided with openings 15, although recessed portions would serve the purpose, the diaphragm 12 being spaced above the Serial No. 223,688.

bottom 10 by means of elements 16, any suitable number of which may be employed, and these elements 16 being shown as including upstanding portions under some of the openings.

lVithin the sub-divisions or squares into which the board is divided, I inscribe the title of a book of the Bible, and also show figures representing, first, the chapters in that particular book, and secondly the verse or particular paragraph to be consulted by the individual making use of the appliance. It will be observed that in several cases reference is made to one chapter and two or more verses or paragraphs, but no one square includes a reference to more than one chapter,the names of the books of the Bible being repeated where several chapters are referred to.

In making use of the device the balls 18, of any suitable number are received within the hand of the player or user, and a special ball 20 is also held lightly with the others in the palm of the hand, and all of the elements 18 and 20 are released at one time and allowed to roll over the surface and come to rest without guidance on the part of the player. The openings are of such size that the balls pass over them until they lose momentum, and then come to rest, and the ball 20 suitably marked or colored is to be regarded as directing the attention of the individual to the reference, first to be eonsidered, and including the name of the book, the number of the chapter, and the verse or paragraph to be consulted. The other balls thrown at the same time are to be used in a similar manner, and they are to be numbered if it is thought desirable to indicate in this way the order in which several references, indicated by each throw of a group of balls, should be read.

The general object is to select for use on the board only important Scripture references, so that, from the sandpoint of in struction, the individual is certain to obtain important information, or guidance, from a moral or religious standpoint.

Having described the invention what is claimed is In a device of the class described, a board including divisional spaces carrying distinctive inscriptions, each space having an opening therethrough providing a seat, means including upstanding port-ions for spacing the board above a supporting element, and a spherical member adapted to pass over the board and to be supported within any one of the (liVlSlOnHl spaces, by the edge portions surrounding the opening thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS \V. KLINK. 

